Jimmy Andrews 1927-2012

Everyone at West Ham United was saddened to hear of the passing of former Hammers winger Jimmy Andrews at the age of 85.

Andrews joined West Ham from Dundee in November 1951 before making 120 first-team appearances for the club, scoring 22 goals. After leaving for Leyton Orient in 1956, he finished his playing career with Queens Park Rangers in 1962.

An innovative thinker about the game, Invergordon-born Andrews embarked on a successful coaching career. As well as working as youth-team coach at Tottenham Hotspur under manager Bill Nicholson and as Tommy Doherty's first-team coach at Chelsea, he was also on the coaching staff at Queens Park Rangers for a short spell in 1965.

Andrews became Cardiff City manager in 1974, succeeding another ex-Hammer in Frank O'Farrell. He spent four years in charge of the Bluebirds and had been living in the Welsh capital prior to his passing.

Andrews made his West Ham debut in a thrilling 3-3 Division One draw at the Boleyn Ground on 24 November 1951 and marked his final appearance by scoring the only goal of the game in a 1-0 Division Two victory at Plymouth Argyle on 31 March 1956.

Son-in-law Rhod Griffiths, who is married to Andrews' daughter Kim, said he enjoyed many hours listening to Andrews' wonderful memories of his time in football.

"Jimmy started at Dundee and then joined West Ham at an extremely important period in the history of the club. It was at this time when the likes of Ted Fenton, Malcolm Allison and Noel Cantwell were helping to form the Academy of Football and Jimmy would join them at Cassettari's Cafe to talk about the game for hours on end.

"We were very fortunate that the club invited him back for a game to celebrate his 83rd birthday in 2010. It was a bitterly cold day and the game finished 0-0, but he thoroughly enjoyed being back at the Boleyn Ground.

"He was a real thinker about the game and I loved listening to his stories. He also worked as first-team coach for Tommy Doherty at Chelsea and under Bill Nicholson at Tottenham, where he coached the likes of a young Graeme Souness.

"He coached in a paternal manner, even though he was a real disciplinarian from what some of the old players have told me! As a family, we just loved being around him and listening to what he had to say."

O'Farrell played alongside Andrews for four seasons at West Ham before being reunited with his former team-mate at Cardiff in December 1973, when he took him on as his assistant manager.

"I played with him at West Ham and then we went our separate ways," said O'Farrell, who is now the oldest-living former West Ham player following his friend's death. "Eventually, after I left Manchester United I went down to Cardiff City and he was my assistant for six months before taking charge when I went to manage Iran.

"He was one of the group that also included Malcolm Allison, John Bond, Noel Cantwell and Dave Sexton who would spend hours thinking and talking about the game. He was a natural outside-left with a lovely left foot and I enjoyed playing alongside him.

"I remember the final game we had together at Cardiff. We beat Crystal Palace, who were managed by Malcolm, and they went down to Division Three and we stayed up!"

Everyone at West Ham United would like to pass on their sincere condolences to the family and friends of Jimmy Andrews at this sad time.